All purpose cervical collar



April 3, 1962 Filed May 28, 1958 A. R. MOORE 3,027,894

ALL PURPOSE CERVICAL COLLAR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR ARTHUR R. MOORE ATTORNEY April 3,1962 A; R. MOORE ALL PURPOSE CERVICAL COLLAR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 28, 1958 INYENTOR. ARTHUR R. MOORE Mar ATTORNEY dice 3,927,894 Patented Apr. 3, 1962 Florida Filed May 2a, 1958, Ser. No. 738,460 14 Claims. or. 128-75) The present invention relates to cervical collars. These collars are used in treatment of pathological conditions such as arthritis, wry neck or torticollis, traumatic conditions such as whip lash injuries, subluxations and dislocations, muscular strains, and for post-fracture treatment. It provides for both hyperextension and flexion as well as for restriction of head motion, but not for total immobilization. Additionally, it provides for a very positive degree of stabilization amounting almost to traction. It is an improvement on the cervical collar of my US. Patent 2,801,630, which collar is primarily a hyperextension collar.

A great many cases in which a cervical collar is required are treated by flexion (forward tilt of the head). The collar of said patent cannot be used for that purpose except by reversing it on the patients neck, an awkward and uncomfortable expedient and difficult to adjust properly.

The present invention has for its primary object the provision of an improved collar which incorporates all the advantages of the collar of my aforesaid patent, and which has, in addition, self-contained means for adjusting it in flexion, so that it can serve singly as a fleXion collar or as a hyperextension collar, or as a combination of both.

Another object is to provide a cervical collar comprising overlapping sections of semi-rigid material in mutuahy slidable relation, and having means whereby the sections may be disposed selectively in various positions of adjustment for different degrees of fiexion.

A further object is to provide a collar of the character described having a chest engaging section including separate intermediate and end portions overlapping in slidable relation and mutually hinged by independent attachment to a flexible element contoured to seat over the sternum, clavicals and shoulders of a wearer.

Other and incidental objects will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of the collar in applied posi: tion;

FIG. 2 is a front elevation thereof;

FIG. 3 is a flattened plan view of the collar;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary enlarged detail elevation of the right end of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view on line 55 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view on line 66 of FIG. 3.

In the specific embodiment of the invention disclosed herein the collar is made of an upper section 10 and a lower section 11, both of a suitable semi-rigid plastic sheet material such as a cellulose acetate-butyrate or equivalent. The sections are connected for adjustment relative to each other by a plurality of appropriately spaced adjusting clamps 12 preferably identical to the adjusting clamps disclosed in my patent aforesaid. Each clamp consists of an upper flat metal strip 13 pivotally connected at its upper end to the upper section by rivet means 14, and a similar lower strip 15 pivotally connected at its lower end to the lower section by rivet means 16. Each strip has a longitudinal closed end slot and is slidably interengaged with the other in overlapped relation for clamping together in adjusted position by a clamp screw 17 headed on the sides of the slot in one strip and passed freely through the slot into threaded engagement with the body of the other strip. The clamps are disposed on the exterior of the collar.

The lower or chest engaging section 11, which provides the main support for adjustment purposes, will be described first. This consists of a central panel 18 with its bottom edge contoured to seat over the sternum and clavicals of a wearer, and with its top edge substantially parallel to the bottom edge except for a relatively deep downwardly curved center recess 19 to provide Adams apple clearance when in use. The ends of the panel 18 are rounded and slidably overlap the inner faces of a pair of end panels 20 of approximately the height of the central panel. The bottom edge of each end panel is contoured to seat over and across a wearers shoulder and the combined length of the central and end panels is such that the lower section 11 which they form fully encompasses the neck of a wearer, so that the outer end edges of the end panels are disposed at the back of the neck when the collar is applied.

An important feature of the present invention is the loosely coupled relationship of the panels comprising the lower collar section. This is obtained by independent attachment of each panel to a flexible connector by which the panels are joined loosely in end to end relation. It is conveniently accomplished in the collar herein disclosed by utilizing the bottom edge cushioning means of the lower section for the purpose, but the invention is not restricted thereto. As shown, the cushioning means comprises a resilient core 21 of sponge rubber or the like which is circular in cross section and is sheathed in a cover 22 of soft leather or similar material that is stitched to the bottom marginal edge portion of each panel. The cushioning bead comprising the core and cover is continuous from end to end over the full combined length of the bottom edges of the panels. It follows the contour thereof and provides a flexible connector between the panels by which they are, in effect, loosely coupled in a slidable overlapping relation that allows relative angular movement between them and permits the panels to conform automatically to different sternum and clavical configurations in use.

An adjusting clamp is mounted on each end panel 2!) closely adjacent its outer end edge. The rivet means 16 of one clamp functions also to anchor one end of a securing strap 23 provided with a conventional adjustable buckle 24 that carries one element 25 of a conventional snap fastener for cooperative engagement with a mating fastener element 26 constituted as a part of the rivet means of the adjusting clamp on the other end panel.

The upper or head engaging section 10 is constituted as a single panel 27 of sufiicient length to encompass the neck of a wearer with a substantial overlap of the panel ends at the back of the neck when the collar is applied. As this section constitutes the entire head support its top edge is contoured to engage beneath and support a wearers chin and the occiput at the sides and across the back of the neck. It will be seen, therefore, that the ends 28 of the top section panel are occiput supports separated at the front of the collar by the chin support provided by an appropriate downwardly curved recess at the central top edge portion of the panel.

The body of the top section panel frontally overlaps the panels of the lower section in slidable face contact therewith; so that the marginal inner end areas of the lower section end panels 20 are disposed between the top section panel 27 and the lower section center panel lfiat all times. This arrangement insures continuity and the requisite degree of stiffness in the body of the collar. At the front center beneath the chin support the body of the top section panel extends downwardly as an apron 29 with a curved bottom edge substantially parallel to the underlying recessed top edge of the center panel 13 of the lower section. This apron and the panel 18 each have a vertical closed end slot in registry at the center of the collar. They receive in loose slidable relation the shank of a rivet stud 30 which, in addition to providing a connection between the sections, acts as a centering guide in vertical adjustments of the collar and as a pivot for angular adjustments between the upper and lower sections.

The bottom edge of the single panel 27 of the upper section follows generally the contour of the lower section cushioning strip but is spaced vertically above the same along its entire length. A second pair of adjusting clamps 12 connects the lower section center panel 18 to the upper section panel, one adjacent each side edge of the top section apron 29. The clamps of this second pair are divergent from their lower ends to their upper ends at equal and opposite angles with respect to the vertical center line of the collar as defined by the slots housing the shank of the rivet stud 30'. The lower end rivets 16 of this second pair pivotally attach the clamps to the panel 18 and their upper end rivets 14 pivotally attach. the clamps to the upper section panel 27 in the areas immediately overlying the upper end corners of the panel 18.

The end of the top section panel which is adjacent the end panel of the lower section that mounts the securing strap 23 is likewise provided with a similar strap 31 anchored by the rivet means 14 that secures the upper end of its adjusting clamp pivotally to the panel 27. The strap has a buckle 32 Whereon a snap fastener element 33 is mounted for attachment to a mating fastener element '34 constituted as part of the rivet means by which the upper end of the other collar end adjusting clamp is pivotally secured to the upper section panel 27. A cushioning strip is provided on the top edge of the panel 27 and, like the lower section cushioning strip, comprises a sponge rubber core 35 sheathed in a soft leather cover 36 that is stitched to the top marginal edge portion of the panel. Air circulation openings 37 are provided in all panels of the collar.

It is apparent from the above detailed description of the specific collar herein disclosed that the invention has a concept capable of expression in broader terms. In its broad aspects the present invention is a cervical collar that is a simple assembly of two neck encompassing sections in overlapping face contact and interconnected slidably and pivotally at a point on the front vertical median of the collar. Adjustments, aside from those of conventional securing straps at the back, are principally variations at desired areas of the spacing between the top and bottom edges of the collar (vertical adjustment), and are effected by means of extensible connectors pivotally attached at their upper ends to the upper section and pivotally attached at their lower ends to the lower section. The lower section comprises a plurality of separate panels in substantially end to end relation in overlapped sliding face engagement at their meeting ends. These panels are loosely coupled for relative movement to conform to adjustments and to obtain even distribution of seating pressure over the bottom edge of the collar when in use. Due to the variety and range of adjustments possible in the collar it can serve any purpose for which cervical collars as a generic class are required.

I claim:

1. A cervical collar comprising upper and lower neck encompassing sections of semi-rigid material in overlapping slidable face contact intermediate the top and bottom edges of the collar, the lower section including a plu ality of separate panels substantially in end to end relation, means coupling said panels for relative movement therebetween, and adjustment members connecting lower section panels with the upper section at a plurality of points spaced longitudinally thereon, said adjustment members being operative individually to vary the spacing between the top and bottom edges of the collar at the edge areas adjacent thereto.

2. In the collar of claim 1, said means coupling the lower section panels comprising a flexible connector independently attached to each panel.

3. In the collar of claim 1, said means coupling the lower section panels comprising a flexible and resilient cushioning strip secured on the bottom edge of each panel and continuous from end to end of the section.

4. In the collar of claim 1, said adjustment members having pivotal attachment with both the upper section and the lower section panels.

5. A cervical collar comprising upper and lower neck encompassing sections of semi-rigid material in overlapping slidable face contact intermediate the top and bottom edges of the collar, the lower section including a center panel and two end panels substantially in end to end relation, means coupling said panels for relative movement therebetween, adjustment means on the center panel connecting it to the upper section, and said adjustment means being operative to vary the spacing between the top and bottom edges of the collar adjacent thereto.

'6. In the collar of claim 5, said adjustment means in cluding two longitudinally extensible members pivotally attached at one end to the upper section and at the other end to said center panel and oppositely inclined relative to and at opposite sides of a vertical front center line through the collar.

7. In the collar of claim 6, a longitudinally extensible adjustment member connecting each end panel with'the portion of the upper section above it and in pivotal attachment to both.

8. A cervical collar comprising upper and lower neck encompassing sections of semi-rigid material in overlapping slidable face contact intermediate the top and bottom edges of the collar, the lower section including a center panel and two end panels all in substantially end to end relation, means coupling said panels for relative movement therebetween, an adjustment member on each end panel and connecting it to a portion of the upper section thereabove, and said adjustment members being operative to vary the spacing between the top and bottom edges of the collar at the edge areas adjacent thereto.

9. A cervical collar comprising upper and lower neck encompassing sections of semi-rigid material in overlapping slidable face contact intermediate the top and bottom edges of the collar, the lower section including a center panel and a separate panel at each end, means coupling said panels for relative movement therebetween, an extensible adjustment member for each end panel in pivotal attachment to the upper sectionand also to the end panel, a pair of extensible adjustment members for the center panel in pivotal attachment to the upper section and also to the center section, the component members of said pair of center panel adjustment members being oppositely inclined relativeto and at opposite sides of the vertical front median of the collar, and all said adjustment members being independently adjustable to vary the spacing between the top and bottom edges of the collar at the edge areas adjacent thereto.

10. In the collar of claim 9, said panel coupling means comprising a continuous strip of flexible material connecting the panels loosely and substantially in end to end relation.

11. In the collar of claim 9, means on the vertical front median of the collar pivotally and slidably interconnecting the upper section and the center panel of the lower section.

12. In the collar of claim'9,-the inner ends of the end panels of the lower section partially overlapping the center panel in slidable face contact.

13. In the collar of claim 11, portions of said end panels being disposed in slidable relation between the upper section and the center panel of the lower section.

14. In the collar of claim 12, the panel coupling means comprising a flexible and resilient cushioning strip secured on the bottom edge of each panel and continuous from end to end of the lower section.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Moore Aug. 6, 1957 Monfardini Apr. 1, 1958 OTHER REFERENCES Eisert et al.: Slip on Cervical Collar, Journal of the American Medical Association, volume 161, No. 1, May 5, 1956, pages 5354. (Available in Science Library.) 

